"'A mate? ' I choked out in between amused purrs. 'Barley, that's never been my destiny, and you know it. I don't want a she-cat.'" Ravenpaw thinks Barely is being ridiculous, but maybe falling in love ISN'T so unlikely for this loner... RavenxOC!

The voices echoes in my head like voices in a cave. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes… My empty responses repeated. I was hollow, everything bouncing in me with no real meaning. Everything felt off. The once cheerful wheat fields now seemed sinister and uninviting as we padded through. The air felt heavier somehow, and the birds' song seemed ominous.

With paws as heavy as stone, I finally reached the barn. I collapsed gratefully on the warm hay, but it gave me little comfort. Ravenpaw settled down a tail's length away. Barley, sensing the grim mood, meowed awkwardly, "I'll uh, let you two talk," before quickly making an exit.

I refused to look at the black tom. I could feel his eyes burning into my pelt, but I kept my eyes fixed on the ground. I knew what I had to say to him, but everything in me was fighting against it. I would give everything I had for just a few more moments of silence, a few more moments together.

"Sunny, I-"

But, as usual, luck wasn't my friend. The time had come. "Stop it, Ravenpaw," I interrupted. "You don't have to say it." I finally met his eyes, those same eyes I had looked into a thousand times before, those blasted eyes that had made me fall in love. "I'm leaving."

"What-!?" It was too much for me. My gaze dropped.

"Look, I know you're too polite to say so, but we both know that this won't work," I cut in. "You deserve more. You deserve what I can't give you."

"Sunny, please-"

"Don't worry. You'll find someone else." My voice shook, but I pressed on as strongly as I could, "She'll be beautiful and as kind as you are. She'll give you everything you should have. She'll have your kits, which is more than I could ever do." Moisture clouded my eyes, and my paws began to shake. I stood quickly. "Good bye."

Ravenpaw was suddenly blocking my way, though. I had no choice but to look up. Those eyes of his were waiting for me, ready to take my breath away. "No," he meowed firmly. "I'm not letting you go."

"Ravenpaw, look-"

Ravenpaw's eyes filled with a passion I had never seen in him before. "Sunny, I love you! I don't care what you can or can't do."

"You can't love me!" I cried desperately. "Don't you see? I can't be what you need. I'm not worth anything! I can't even do what I was made for!" My voice cracked into a sob.

The black tom softened. "Come here," he whisper, leaning into me.

My shoulder shook and a low sob escaped my lips as I hid my face in his soft fur. I listened to his soft voice as he whispered, "You are my world, Sunny. I don't care if we don't have kits. They would have been nice, but you are my everything. I've never felt like this before. Stay, please. Just stay."

I nodded weakly, in a state of shock. I couldn't begin to wrap my mind around how someone like him could begin to love someone like me. Yet, in that moment, I no longer cared. "I love you, Ravenpaw," I mumbled. After a few long moments, I glanced up. "Want to go fishing?"

Ravenpaw tilted his head, puzzled. His eyes glowed with amusement. "Where did that come from?

"You know me," I smiled weakly. "I'm full of surprises." He purred before I added, "Besides, we were getting a bit too sappy."

Ravenpaw snorted, rolling his eyes. "Classic Sunny."

A/N: Wow. Months later. Here I am. (breathes) The reason I haven't been on FF in so long is this story right here. I realized that I wanted it to end right here, that it needed to end right here. But I didn't know how to say it. :c I'm sowwy. While this may be over, I MAAAAY actually write a sequel. What do you think? :3

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.